1.

0 SUMMARY

Varnish is one of the oil contaminants that may damage the process equipment and machinery
effectiveness. It forms on the surface of fluid-wetted in the process system, thin and insoluble film.
The formation of varnish in oil will increase the operating temperature of the operation, lower
reservoir of fluid, higher peaking and cyclic service including refined base stocks which has lower
solvency of the varnish precursor which lead to electrostatic changing of the turbine system.
Several factors caused the formation of varnish which are oxidation, contamination of chemical,
several spots which are hotter, electrostatic discharge, micro-dieseling and adiabatic compression.

Figure 1.0: Varnish deposit on the spool of a servo valve.

There are two types of adsorption which are physisorption and chemisorption. Physisorption
occurs by the weak physical attraction of the adsorbed materials towards the surface of adsorbent.
Chemisorption happens by the chemical bonding through the transfer of electrons. Adsorption is
one of the most effective process used in order to remove varnish in the oil since it is low cost for
purchasing and operational, high capacity holding of the collection media, high flow rate and
simplicity of control system. The suitable type of adsorbent use is cellulose. Cellulose has better
retention capability compare to other adsorbent.
2.0 PROBELEM STATEMENT

Varnish

In industry, varnish is one of the prominent of oil contaminants. Varnish damages challenge
associated with monitoring and controlling this ever increasing problem. Because of oxidation
occurs, all oils are exposed to varnish all systems. The definition of adsorption is the adhesion
filtration is retention of particles to a filter medium by electrostatic forces or by molecular
attraction. Adsorption using a cellulose has been successfully for many years. Adsorption is
the chemical or physical binding of atoms, molecular or particle. A major discrimination
between filtration and adsorption, is that the performance of adsorbers are depends on the
operating conditions, flowrate, temperature and concentration. The effective adsorbent is the
key for finding a filter medium. An adsorbent can be used in some high quality oil filters utilize
cellulose. It has a high surface area and its chemical nature the fibres are highly appropriated
to pick oxygenated organic molecule such as varnish.

Electrostatic separation
Electrostatic separation operate in an off line, kidney loop or low flow installation. They
operate on the proof that charged particles precipitate to a collect data. Disadvantages of this
process is high cost and operational costs, holding low varnish capacity of collection media,
efficiency drops with presence of water in the oil, complex control systems and low flowrates.

Adsorption systems
Adsorption is also used in a kidney loop and off line manner. Adsorption can provide higher
range of flow rates such as from high flow to low flow and vice versa. The adsorption mostly
used in off line filters is a depth type, highly density and cellulose filter. These filters help to
combine moisture, particles and remove varnish in same system. Removing varnish particles
requires other forces besides normal physical forces applied in particle and removal of
moisture. Adsorption is one process for performed well because it is an effective and powerful
and to remove varnish.
Problem Statement
According to the article, they used cellulose fibre to adsorb the varnish. It is effective but
we choose for cellulose powder to adsorb. It is more easier and faster than using cellulose fibre.
Cellulose powder is used in the adsorbent composite. The surface of the cellulose in contact
with water is negatively charged. The negative charge on the cellulose will attract the metal
ions. Therefore, the electrostatic forces between the metal ions and the surface of the cellulose
are important to this composite. Cellulose powder is effective in this case. It is high polarity is
well suited to attract and remove the varnish the characteristic of cellulose are instinctive.
Therefore, no control systems and voltage are required. Capacity is determined by the surface
area. To encourage the effect of adsorption is one of the principles of filtration, the
characteristics of contaminants and varnishes that used in adsorption. Adsorption and filtration
are not same. By combining filtration and adsorption, it is possible to get high efficiency of
varnish removal with simple, low cost and compact device.
In this article, they never use deadsorber. So, we our group add the deadsorber to increase
the rate of adsorption. Adsorbers are the materials which are capable of adsorption. Adsorption
is a surface phenomenon. Concentration of the adsorbate is more on the surface of adsorber.
From adding this deadsorber, we can increase the rate of adsorption more easier and faster. It
helps to adsorb the varnish.
The failure and problems that happened was lubricated machines experience are caused
from water and particulates the oil contamination.To keep the oil dry and clean, use filter
dehydrator technology which enable to effect oil conditioning with a simple, low maintenance
design to enhance particle filtration and to remove emulsified and dissolved water.

Vacuum dehydrators are mostly used to remove dissolved and emulsified moisture as well
as free water from oil. These systems utilize slipstream oil circulation and apply a vacuum to
lower the boiling point of water, allow the gases and moistures to vaporize out of the oil.
Vacuum dehydrators requires a moderate to high capital investment, and their relatively
complex designs can lead to expanded operating and maintenance costs. The systems often
involve a heater to increase promote water vaporization, oil temperature and potentially a
cooler to return the oil to a normal temperature after the dehydration process. The vacuum
dehydrators are difficult to relocate at different places.
3.0 Temperature

Temperature directly affects the solubilities varnish. As temperature decreases, so does the
solubility of varnish and its precursors. When the level of varnish precursors in a lubricant is at (or
near) the fluids saturation point, varnishing in cooler regions is very likely to occur. Adsorption
of varnish by cellulose granule is a physical adsorption or called as physisorption. If the force of
attraction existing between adsorbate and adsorbent are Vander Waals forces, the adsorption is
called physical adsorption. It is also known as Vander Waals adsorption. In physical adsorption
the force of attraction between the adsorbate and adsorbent are very weak. So that, this type of
adsorption can be easily reversed by eating or by decreasing pressure which called as desorption.
On this process, varnish can be 25 30oC for adsorption process because physisorption low
temperature favourable. Higher temperature the process will be reversible which is called as
desorption. Temperature for desorption process between varnish and cellulose granule is 120
150oC because cellulose can resist till 350oC. It is instantaneous process and no activation energy
is needed.

Pressure

Adsorption of varnish is a physisorption which need high pressure for adsorption process. If low
pressure mean it will become desorption. The force of attraction existing between adsorbate and
adsorbent are Vander Waals forces are week. So that, need higher temperature for adsorption
process. For removing varnish process, pressure of varnish is 2-3 atm and decrease pressure to 1
at for desorption process.

Size of particles

The specific surface area is increased as the particle size becomes small. The specific surface
area is also increased if the particle has pores. The specific surface area is important for the
industrial process and chemical reaction. So it is important to measure the specific surface area to
evaluate the activity and adsorption capacity of materials. Size of cellulose granule that can use
for removing varnish is 350 500 m. The bigger size of adsorber, the bigger amount will
adsorb.
3.0 IDENTIFICATION AND GENERATION OF CONCEPTUAL SOLUTIONS

Storage Line symbol

with
varnish Loaded varnish of
(untreate
d) adsorbent line

Cleaned adsorbent line

Varnish line
Adsorber (cellulose powder)

Deadsorber

Removal tank
Treated oil

Filtered oil

Oil Filter
Storage
tank

(Clean)
5.0 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT SOLUTION

The oil contains varnish from the storage flow into the adsorber for the adsorption process.
The adsorber contains cellulose powder which is act as the adsorbent. In the adsorber, adsorption
process occurs where the varnish molecules attract and retain on the surface of cellulose powder.
The adsorption type used for this process is physical adsorption where the weak Van Der Waals.
The reaction involved for this type is an exothermic reaction where heat is released and reaction
takes place at low temperature. This will cause the small particles to adhere to the surface of the
adsorbent. After the adsorption process where the varnish concentration in the oil is lower, the oil
continues flow out of the adsorber and undergoes filtration process. The purpose of filtration
process is to separate remaining solid and some of cellulose powder that may contain in the oil by
passing it through a permeable which retains the remaining solids. The type of filter used is Oil
Filter. It is design to remove contaminants from the oil.

After the oil is filtered; it will flow into the storage tank to further the next process. At this
stage, the oil is clean from varnish. Technicians will take sample of oil from the storage tank for
the analysis process in the laboratory to make sure the oil is free varnish and reach the required
specs. If the oil does not achieve the required specification and the varnish concentration still high,
oil will be pumped back from the storage tank into the adsorber to repeat the adsorption process.

As the concentration of the varnish in the adsorber is too high and reach its limit, the
adsorbent will flow into the deadsorber for the desorption process. For the desorption process, high
temperature is required. Therefore, heater is connected with the deadsorber in order to supply heat
for the process. The increasing temperature caused the backwards process of the adsorption where
the molecules of varnish are removed from the surface of the cellulose powder. This is considering
as the cleaning process of the adsorbent in order to reuse it and further the process of adsorption.
The separated varnish in the deadsorber will pump into the removal tank for the further process.
The clean cellulose powder is pumped back into the adsorber to further the adsorption process of
varnish. Desorption process only occurs as the concentration of the varnish in the adsorber is too
high.
REFERENCES

1. Magnus Bergh, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in Chalmer

Univerity Of Technology, Aborbent cellulose based fibers. (2011)
2. Khalid Farooq, pall corporation, effective varnish removal from turbine lubrication
systems. (2012)
3. Jill Whitten, Barbara A. Buckley, Helen Houp, Lydia Vagts, Harriet Irgang, Mark van
Gelder, Susan S. Blakney, Nina A. Roth-Wells, Gianfranco Pocobene, September, 1997,
/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=V.+Polymeric+Varnishes, access on
12/28/2016.
4. Agilent Technology, how to thermal desorption work, http:// www.chem.agilent.com,
access on 12/28/2016.
5. Jim Fitch, Noria corporation, using oil analysis to varnish and sludge. (1999)